[May 21, 2020] Long ago, I lost count of the number of mid and senior grade Army officers and Sergeants that I counseled because they did not get promoted as expected. The reasons can be complicated but the more common reasons I will list here. Yet, while there are differences across organizations, most are the same. We all… Read More »
[May 20, 2020] It is impossible to forget the day NASA’s Apollo 11 mission launch occurred. The day at Kennedy Space Center, Merritt Island, Florida, was bright and sunny on July 16, 1970, and much was riding on the success of the mission. The man who was key to the success of that launch was George Low, NASA… Read More »
[May 19, 2020] A few days ago, I was asked by a contributor to my website to write an article on military humility. Humility, as a military leadership trait, has been in the news for only about a year.1,2 Even the U.S. military has had to eventually recognize that abuse of authority by a few senior officers is… Read More »
[May 18, 2020] One of my Fort Benning Basic Infantry teammates was notorious for his lack of body cleanliness. When you live side-by-side with someone, you get to see and smell their good and bad side. We told Christopher to keep his clothing, gear, and room clean. His poor performance in school was a reflection of a messy… Read More »
[May 17, 2020] The seriousness of the current COVID-19 pandemic cannot be overlooked. However, there is a small but building counter-argument that the lockdowns established and enforced by state and local governments may have been an overreach. Today, I’ll be listing a few observations on the pandemic that are trending from medical, political, and legal organizations. “The most… Read More »
[May 16, 2020] “Read my lips; no new taxes.” In 1988, then-presidential candidate George H.W. Bush made a simple, clear promise that he would not raise taxes on the American people if elected. Later, he failed to live up to his promise. His political opponents repeatedly questioned his trustworthiness, and he lost re-election. When leaders make a promise,… Read More »
[May 15, 2020] The first time I heard of Jersey Mike’s sub shop was while attending a New York Yankee’s baseball game in their stadium in the Bronx. What I didn’t know was that their subs are enormously popular in New Jersey and New York. Since their founding in 1956, the owner has expanded his sub-franchise into a… Read More »
[May 14, 2020] Army Vet writes to us today about the importance of strength and honor; that we lack these virtues and are suffering for it. He also emphasizes a common theme of his … that weak leaders are more common than we might think and they do serious harm. Strength and the next battle: I have never… Read More »
[May 13, 2020] Watching the news on television and reading local newspapers, I have become saturated with health professionals, politicians, and pundits that are encouraging fear. It matters not where I go for information or about what is happening anywhere in the world; there is a steady drumbeat of dire predictions that the world is about to come… Read More »
[May 12, 2020] One of the most challenging questions asked of me was what defines “evil.” Evil, and what it means and does not mean, has been a subject of human thinking since the beginning of our species. Today, I’ll address who I believe is the cruelest leader in the twentieth century, and in doing so, incorporate my… Read More »